Word also has it there’ll be a few of your fav bloggers in town at the same time so we’re planning on doing something together on stage. Update coming soon!

What is Bella Rustica?Bella Rustica is a vintage show that transpires once a year in Tennessee. Venders from all over the Southeast come on over and pull out all the stops, creating a fun event of junk, food, music and just a great ‘ol time.

Set in rural Pulaski, Milky Way Farms is on 1000 acres of gentle rolling hilled gorgeousness. And the drive out is much the same.

I was pretty much there a month ago and was not ready to come home. So don’t wake me up if this is a dream, because I’m soooo not done with the sweet folks, sweet tea, funnel cake, grits and talking trees. I’ve yet to see a firefly.

Hear that Lin? I AM STAYING UNTIL I SEE A FIREFLY. So someone better fake one if they’ve gone out for the year.

These amazing barns have been here for decades. They’ve been lovingly restored and are open to hosting events year around. The vintage show is going to take place in what’s referred to as The Show Barn. I want to LIVE in that.

Imagine if you will, tables filled up to the rafters with the most amazing vintage must haves. In a real barn! Check out those stone walls and rafter beams. Talk about atmosphere.

Here’s a taste on what Bella Rustia looked like last year. If you don’t think you can come, be prepared. These photos will have you asking Santa for your gift early and you’ll be looking for a friend to pull a Thelma and Louise style road trip! (with a much better ending)

Bella Rustica is a really cool and today kinda way to raise funds for Agape, a Tennessee based organization that offers support and placement for foster and adoptive families.

My own son is adopted, so I get it. I know about the struggles of waiting for years to have a child, and what it feels like to have that special day finally arrive.

But then there’s the adoptee parent’s side. They also need a huge amount of support to come to terms with making the right choice. And let’s not forget about the foster option.

It truly takes a village of wonderful supportive folks to make placing a child happen. I just truly couldn’t be happier to be a part of this cause. It just fits.

I’m not doing this alone. My travel expense were donated by HomeTalk, a community for sharing all things home and DIY with pro help on board. For free! Have you been for a visit? Come on over! Warning: you might not leave.

Thank-you for your big hearts, Hometalk! This is so amazing.

So I am offering my time for free for a week to help prepare and take part in this event.

So why me? Well, I asked that too. And Lin said I was the right one for the job. I loved junk, I loved making stuff with it, she knew I was into inspiring others and the cause fit like a glove. So, let’s do it! Will you come too?

Because dag nab it, when else can I meet you? This would be so awesome! This round it’s all ABOUT meeting you! I’ll be there for 3 days, so why not come on out, bring your friends and join us while supporting an awesome cause?

If you feel like talkin’ junk, nattering about blogging, downing some great food and don’t mind the odd eh tossed into your y’all,

So excited for you! And those barns! Amazing. Hope you have the best time ever!

P.S. Is “you betcha” a stereotypical Canadian saying? cause…. I say that all the time and it just never occurred to me that it was more than just a super fun sounding phrase. I thought if I steered clear of the “eh”s most of the time then I was good. Joke’s on me!

Donna you are going to FREAK over Milky Way Farms. We shot a couple TV episodes (for my employer who had a horse training TV show) there a couple years ago. The property is absolutely stunning. The original house is full of such charm and the BARNS… Oh don’t get this horse girl started on those. Tuh-Die-For. They have a round arena in one of the barns that I wish I could have taken down stone by stone and brought home with me. Sigh…. Have a great time!!!

This will be my first year as a Bella Rustica vendor and I am SO excited. I am new to the Nashville area and was told by nearly every local artisan I ran into that it’s a MUST. It will be hard to run a booth with so many fantastic opportunities to shop!http://www.rewelliottstyle.blogspot.com

I am so happy that you are getting to experience such a beautiful place for a beautiful cause. I’m sure that you will be spectacular and I hope that you will be able to share with the rest of us. Have a great trip.

Oh!! I am so excited you will be there! I also will have a booth in the barn and it’s my first year for this show! It’s been so exciting getting ready for this show! Look forward to meeting you! Please stop by our booth and say hello! We are Turning Leaf Crafts! http://www.turningleafcrafts.com or just look for us on Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/turningleafcrafts.

My message is about having the confidence to create something out of nothing and with little skill. That’s how my story started and I continue to learn daily. And what I learn, I share on the blog. I hope you come regardless! It’s for a great cause. 🙂

Why don’t you make up some posters of you and one of your projects? You can sign them like a real celebrity. I’d like one! Here’s a joke: You are from Canada? Answer Yes. What, do you live in an Igloo? Answer No! I live in a snow fort!. You should wear a white T-shirt painted to look like a Hudson Bay Blanket. Come in wearing a pack basket and carrying a canoe paddle. Wish I could come, but the younger dog just had back surgery today. Has to be quiet for three weeks.Ann

I’m sooooooooo excited!! I have been waiting for Bella ever since the last one, and I nearly fell off the couch with excitement when I saw you were going to be there!! You seriously ARE the perfect one to do this! I can’t believe we are lucky enough to get you to come down here to Tennessee! I have to say, if I’d had to guess which of my favorite bloggers would be coming here, I probably wouldn’t have picked the Canadian! At least not until your last trip down south! But YAY so glad it is you!! Hopefully it’ll have cooled down some…it was still kinda hot last year!

I’m sooo soooo excited! I’ll be shopping on Friday probably….hoping to be a vendor sometime in the future if this keeps going (and I don’t see why not!), but I don’t have much time to blog or junk right now with a new baby (who will probably be there strapped to me!) and a two year old! Someday I’ll find some time!!

Again…..SOOOOOOOOOO excited!!!!!! I just wish you were going to be selling stuff because I’d LOVE to have some funky junk!!!!!! Maybe you can make stuff in your demos, then auction it off for Agape, or give it away!

Stacey, you keep this up and you’ll have me believing all this! 🙂 I kid. I was debating the same… maybe the stuff that is in the demos can be auctioned off. Maybe I’ll make stuff before the show for that too. I’ll see what I can find time for. Great idea!! Excited to meet you too! Make sure you say you’re the one that ‘didn’t pick the Canadian’. Cracked me up! 🙂

I am so excited you did a post on this and will be there! I saw an ad in a magazine and was thrilled that I could attend my first barn sale since it is less than an hour away! We just made plans to go yesterday and then I saw your post. How amazing it looks… I hope I will get to meet you!

My goodness, girl, what CAN’T you teach about? I think that anything you present will be very well received. Congrats on the opportunity! It would be fun to have people in the “audience” participate in something. Like “what in the world is it?” or, before upcycling, “what in the world was it?”. I like your idea of a staging competition and photography tips would be awesome! Really, anything you do will be fun! Wish I could make it. isn’t too far (several hours but hey, that’s a road trip, right?) and if by some miracle I do, I’ll be sre to pop by and say howdy! Can’t wait to hear more about this great adventure! Hugs, Leena

Shut Up?! You are going to be in TN?! I live in TN! I have heard of Pulaski, but I have no idea where it is? I am about to hop over to a map and find out! I would LOVE to hear what you are going to share and enjoy some shopping in that beautiful setting! Not to mention, AGAPE is one of my favorite organizations! Life to the full, Melissa

How exciting! Glad you are going to be there! I’ll be there bright and early on Friday morning. Will try to catch you a firefly the night before! 😉 They seem to be few and far between lately though! Sandie

Ohh I get nostalgic! I lived in Nashville for 6 years… is the best place!Now I am far back in my country in South America but… with passports ready to move to Canada!I´m sure you will have a blast! people in Tennessee are the best and you will fell at home!!Love your blog and hope you have a great time! perhaps next time I will be there too!